The federal government has launched a $1 billion Household Prosperity and Economic Social Protection Project (HOPE-SP) as part of efforts to shift humanitarian support from palliatives to sustainable pathways.
The ministry of humanitarian affairs and poverty reduction unveiled the initiative on Wednesday at the Banquet Hall, State House, Abuja.
According to the ministry, the project, themed “From Palliatives to Pathways,” is aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s social protection and humanitarian response architecture.
Oluremi Tinubu, first lady and special guest of honour at the event, commended Bernard Doro, minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty reduction, and his team for seeking to transform humanitarian interventions from temporary assistance into sustainable pathways to recovery, empowerment and self-reliance.
She said the initiatives would improve the identification, targeting and support of vulnerable households.
“The initiatives are designed to improve the identification, targeting and support of vulnerable households, strengthen coordination across humanitarian and poverty-reduction programmes, provide shock-responsive assistance, and promote accountability and measurable outcomes,” Tinubu said.
Doro said the launch represents a strategic shift in the government’s approach to humanitarian interventions, with vulnerable households placed at the centre of government support.
“The launch represents a strategic shift ‘from palliatives to pathways’, placing vulnerable households, rather than individual programmes, at the centre of government interventions,” Doro said.
The minister said the reform would address fragmentation, duplication and multiple uncoordinated registries.
He said the government would establish a unified national architecture linking identification, needs assessment, targeted intervention, protection, empowerment, poverty graduation and sustainable growth.
Doro said the One Humanitarian, One Poverty Response System (OHOPRS) would serve as a major system reform.
The system, according to the minister, will bring humanitarian response, social protection and poverty reduction interventions into a coordinated national framework supported by unified registries, digital delivery systems, improved financing, stronger institutions, accountability and real-time intelligence.
Other initiatives unveiled included the Emergency Shock-Responsive Cash Transfer, the FMHAPR Ministerial Blueprint and the Humanitarian First Magazine.
The ministry said the magazine would document the experiences and impact of government interventions on beneficiaries.
Olubunmi Olusanya, permanent secretary of the ministry, said the initiatives would strengthen coordination and accountability.
“The ultimate measure of success would be the tangible difference made in the lives of vulnerable Nigerians,” Olusanya said.
Goodwill messages were delivered by Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno, on behalf of other governors and sub-national governments; Abubakar Bagudu, minister of budget and economic planning; Yusuf Tanko Sununu, former minister of state for humanitarian affairs; the European Union; the World Bank; and other international development partners.
The ministry said they commended the federal government’s efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s social protection and humanitarian systems.
The event also featured a cultural performance by the Irigwe New Wave Dance Troupe from Plateau State.